We go to see Stefan. He took the book he requested and bought one of the other ones that we had retrieved. We speak for a while on what he was able to find in a quick search:
Basically, monks and their monasteries aren't always as old as we think they are. And that my monastery being about 700 years old coincides with a large order of stone, bricks and timber for Im Monastery 720 years ago. It would make sense if the migrated a few years previous, and "opened" after they finished building. There is no mention (that he found) to indicate why they immigrated, though there were mentions that they were fearful - sounding like they were refugees of some sort.
He wondered if I had any idea why they may have come here, and I feel this is a question I will need to ask my masters, as I had been under the impression they had admired the eastern religions and had copied them.
He also mentioned that our monastery is the only one that concerns itself with elemental disciplines. He was also very surprised that there were not more tieflings in Im. I did not think that we were unusual in our ways - they way we learn feels just as common as the other ways, which we are introduced to as we learn.
What else have my elders hidden from me? Does my being a tiefling help with my abilities with the elements? I do know I can manipulate fire decently well...
He continued on, speaking of Asmodeus.
Asmodeus is the overlord of the Nine Hells. He is the most powerful of the Arch-Devils, ruling over the others, with an iron fist. As commonly known, someone made a pact with Asmodeus, and created tieflings. Some say that he can see through tieflings eyes - which sounds crazy.
He asked if I know anything about my family, but really, all I know is that they dropped me off at Im.
Asmodeus is tricky and evil, and his pacts tend to be bent to his benefit. But there are other ways to deal with Arch-Devils - each devil has a talisman, with which you can command them to preform a task. With an Arch-Devil, you also need their true name. Stefan has found 7 times when Asmodeus has been summoned - 4 of those, the summoners were slaughtered.
2 of them manged to hold him for minutes while he performed the task, and successfully banished him.
The last might be more myth than fact, but it is said that someone held him for 10 years. They were in the far east, in the islands of Wa. It is said that he used Asmodeus's oath against him, somehow. And there is no mention of Asmodeus's task.
This is said to happen 750 years ago or so.
And it doesn't mention the pact that creates tieflings. Or does it? Did it only take minutes to create a tiefling line? Or does this have to do with the 10 years spent with Asmodeus? Or are we older than the histories he could find?
I came here based on information that seemed too coincidental, at the suggestion of my elders. But what did they think I would find here? Did they hope that I would not find anything, or did they want me to find this information? Do they have more information that they were not willing to share with me? Or have they lost the information, and are hoping that I will be able to find it? I have so many questions, it is hard to put them in words.
And Stefan is also pretty confident that it is a link between Asmodeus and the elemental discipline, instead of ki. I have much to think on.
After we find some stable to have Lilac stored for a bit. We go and talk to Captain Darren to see what they might be able to tell us about problems relating to Loviatar. He is unhappy to hear that we are the reason that Hondal is free in the world (as are we). He does let us know where the last suspect attack was though.
We head to the house listed, and find a scourge tip, so it seems likely, but there is nothing else.
We decide to walk around and see if we can "find trouble" to maybe lure out Hondal.
We find Cedric. Does that count as trouble? He has an uncanny ability to find us.
We continue, and someone groans in an alley. We check him out and are attacked. It was a set-up, by were-rats. We dealt with them, and kept walking.
We started getting followed by thieves. We let them corner us, and manage to catch two of them, and Vondal questioned them.
They suggested going down to Southden, Badger and around the Pale Unicorn. We turned them in, and headed back to the house for the night.
